Genetically American?

[Tmy]

I never really see Americans as being a specific ethnic group. Alot of americans still ethnically tie themselves to their ancestors (African-american, Italian american, and so on) Are we, or will we be our own ethnicty??? Can you look at someone's characteristics or genetics and tell they are american. Or is that difficult because americans have such varied genetic backgrounds.

What are Mexicans other than a mix of Spanish and natives?? Arent they a relativly new ethnicity. Look at Brazilians, they come in all sorts of different shades, shapes and sizes, Same goes for Puerto Ricans.

In the US its become quite common for people of different race, creed, religious backgroungs to marry and have mixed kids. Are we creating our own US ethnicity?? Will we all eventually look like Halle Barry (that wouldnt be so bad!)

 

[richardm]

Will we all eventually look like Halle Barry (that wouldnt be so bad!)

Tough on the blokes, though.

I should think that now we are more mobile as a species, it's inevitable that all of us will be homogenised in time. Well, all of us except the odd clique of people with blonde hair and blue eyes who have an eagle theme to their interior decor and hum the Horst Wessel while doing the ironing.

 

[The Don]

Americans are not currently an established ethnic group. With a few hundred years under their belts and relative isolation, Americans could possibly be considered an ethnic group particularly if homogeneity is achieved.

Given the U.S. welcoming attitude to immigrants and the relative Ghettoisation of some parts of society (including the white wealthy) I think this is unlikely.

BTW, I would not consider Brazilians to be a single ethnic group .


from yourdictionary.com

eth·nic
adj.

Of or relating to a sizable group of people sharing a common and distinctive racial, national, religious, linguistic, or cultural heritage.

Being a member of a particular ethnic group, especially belonging to a national group by heritage or culture but residing outside its national boundaries: ethnic Hungarians living in northern Serbia.

Of, relating to, or distinctive of members of such a group: ethnic restaurants; ethnic art.
Relating to a people not Christian or Jewish; heathen.
n.


Currently (and in my opinion, for the forseeable future) the U.S. due to its diversity fails that first point

 

[Tmy]

from yourdictionary.com

eth·nic
adj.

Of or relating to a sizable group of people sharing a common and distinctive racial, national, religious, linguistic, or cultural heritage.

Being a member of a particular ethnic group, especially belonging to a national group by heritage or culture but residing outside its national boundaries: ethnic Hungarians living in northern Serbia.

Of, relating to, or distinctive of members of such a group: ethnic restaurants; ethnic art.
Relating to a people not Christian or Jewish; heathen.
n.


Currently (and in my opinion, for the forseeable future) the U.S. due to its diversity fails that first point

I dont think we fail the first part. "Distintive racial"- No, but Americans mostly speak english (noticalbly different dialect than other english speaking countries) mostly christian, and there is a certain American hereitage. Hot dogs, apple pie, baseball, guns and all that other fun stuff.

 

[richardm]

I would suspect that these days, most people in the West get their sense of heritage from the television, anyway.

 

[dsm]

Or is that difficult because americans have such varied genetic backgrounds.

Give us another twenty years or so and we'll engineer our own genetic background...

 

[JAR]

"American" already is an ethnicity. My Random House College Dictionary defines "ethnic group" as: a group of people of the same race or nationality who share a common and distinctive culture."

I think Americans would fit that description. Of course, Canadians would fit that description too, being that they also speak American dialects of English, but I have no problem with calling the Canadians a branch of the American people just as I have no problem with calling Americans and the Irish branches of the English people.

 

[JAR]

Will we all eventually look like Halle Barry (that wouldnt be so bad!)

Currently there are not enough black people in America for enough white people to intermarry with them to make us all look like Halle Berry.

 

[Tmy]

Theres more than just black and white, we got brown yellow red, and all the other colors of the bow! Who doesnt have a little sumthin sumthin in their backgroud.

Being varied can coem in handy. You just cant pick out an American by sight (well depending on the closes). SO if your in a plane hijacked by anti-amercian terrorists, a quick fake accent and your no longer an American! "Me, why I'm not American, I'm a Candaian EH!"

 

[phildonnia]

...Of course, Canadians would fit that description too, being that they also speak American dialects of English, but I have no problem with calling the Canadians a branch of the American people...

There's a joke about this:

Canadians are nearly indistinguishable from Americans; the only way to tell the difference is by their reaction upon hearing this fact.

 

[Andonyx]

Re: Re: Genetically American?

Tough on the blokes, though.

I wouldn't mind not having to shave...

And I'd kill to fit into a size 3 Donna Karen.

But as for genetic clues to an ethnicity, I'm pretty sure it's almost impossible to link heritage to genetic patterns in most parts of the world already.

 

[dsm]

"American" already is an ethnicity. My Random House College Dictionary defines "ethnic group" as: a group of people of the same race or nationality who share a common and distinctive culture."

I think Americans would fit that description. Of course, Canadians would fit that description too, being that they also speak American dialects of English, but I have no problem with calling the Canadians a branch of the American people just as I have no problem with calling Americans and the Irish branches of the English people.

Out of curiousity, please describe "the American culture".

 

[JAR]

Out of curiousity, please describe "the American culture".

Baseball has been called America's National Pastime. Baseball, basketball, football are all associated with America. American's tend to be Christians. The Mormon religion originated in the U.S. Americans often wear T-shirts. We celebrate Christmas with a Christmas Tree which was actually introduced by the Germans. Baseball caps are associated with Americans. The wide-brimmed hats worn in the Wild West are also associated with Americans. The Rodeo is another American element. Aaron Copland wrote characteristically American music. There are other elements of American culture that we Americans aren't even aware of as being American because most of the people we encounter are other Americans.

Before you call these traits un-American on the basis that they are not found among all Americans, you must remember that there is no country in the world where all the people in it are culturally exactly the same.

 

[JAR]

Can you look at someone's characteristics or genetics and tell they are american.

The answer to that is no and you also can't look at a person's genetics and tell that they are German, yet we don't hesitate to refer to Germans as an ethnic group. Americans are an ethnic group.

 

[Voob]

Canadians are nearly indistinguishable from Americans; the only way to tell the difference is by their reaction upon hearing this fact.

Older Americans have different wrinkle patterns on their faces than Canadians. I think it's from all the scowling.

 

[pupdog]

"You can always tell the Irish;
You can always tell the Dutch;
You can always tell a Yankee,
But you cannot tell him much."

Used to be, you could tell what part of the country Americans were from (If they had 6 fingers, they were from...) by their speech and other habits. But with TV & easy travel, there's greater homogenization. And more recently, we see "American" culture taking root all over the world--music, dress, and now democracy in Iraq

 

[JAR]

And more recently, we see "American" culture taking root all over the world--music, dress, and now democracy in Iraq

That's the truth. It's not the Americans who are losing their way of life, it's the other peoples.

 

[peptoabysmal]

Older Americans have different wrinkle patterns on their faces than Canadians. I think it's from all the scowling.

It's caused by that big, bright thing in the sky Canadians only get to see for about 2 days out of the year.